A youthful Harvard women's cross country squad yesterday outdueled a powerful squad of Boston University runners to take the Greater Boston Championships at the Franklin Park course, 23-37.

Placing a distant third place was Boston College with 74 points, followed by Northeastern (135), Brandeis (155), Tufts (172), and MIT (202).

Breakaway

After the first 5:25 mile, B.U. freshman standout Martha Shea and Crimson yardling Kate Wiley broke away from the pack for a thrilling head-to-head race to the finish line. Shea emerged victorious with a new meet record of 16:51; Wiley came in nine seconds later for a personal season low of 17:00.

"That was the most challenging race--mentally and physically--that I've run so far this season," Wiley said afterwards. "Marty is a very tough runner; she passed me on the final hill, which was when I guess I got tired."

Wiley's performance, her fastest of the season by 15 seconds, is also the second fastest time ever turned in by a Harvard runner on the course. Junior Darlene Beckford turned in a 16:59 in her freshman year.

The next four runners for Harvard behind Wiley were freshman Jenny Stricker (third, 17:17), Beckford (fourth, 17:27), senior captain Kristin Linsley (fifth, 17:31) and freshman Mary-Jeanne Barrett (ninth, 17:44).

Beckford's and Barrett's times are particularly impressive considering that Beckford missed all of last week with a strained leg muscle, and Barrett began her season several weeks ago with times in the mid-18s.

"Mary-Jeanne came on very strong in the last half-mile and passed quite a few people," coach John Babington said. "She has been making extremely rapid progress this season."

The harriers, who remain undefeated with yesterday's triumphs, next face Princeton and Yale Universities at Yale on October 23.

NOTEBOOK: Senior Maureen Devlin, who was Harvard's fifth finisher in the GBCs in 1978 with a time of 19:54, yesterday lopped 40 seconds off her best time to finish 36th in a field of 84 runners....